


Little Shadows

by BlueJayTaco



Series: The Darkness that Binds Us [3]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Denial, Ficlet Collection, Loss, M/M, Post-Canon, The Author Regrets Nothing, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2019-07-08 05:07:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15923486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueJayTaco/pseuds/BlueJayTaco
Summary: Small tales and one-shots in the series too big to be left alone and too small to stand on their own. (May be prequels or sequels.)





	1. Back to Domino

**Author's Note:**

> At some point, I'll move on away from The Darkness that Binds Us. But today is not that day.

It was a surreal type of normal when they all returned to Domino. After so long dealing with the strange world outside of their own, returning to high school seemed like something strange. The mundane was no longer truly the mundane.

Even something as simple as sitting down in class didn’t seem to connect correctly. Not when only a week ago, you wondered if you would make it through the day without someone trying to turn your body into a husk.

They were a group teenagers who went to the same school and went through something no one there would understand. And how were they expected to come back from it?

Would any of them really?

Anzu knew she wasn’t the only one who worried about Ryo and Yugi. They all watched the two of them with smiles a little more restrained than before. They both were similar in many ways.

But Ryo never opened up about it at all. Yugi made it easy to talk.

Anzu took a few days before she approached Yugi about a date. He blinked at her in surprise before agreeing to go with her that weekend. When he did, she felt a few moments of deja vu. But when the date was coming to an end, she decided it was time.

“Yugi.” She bit her lip and moved closer. “Can I try something?”

“Of course.” Yugi turned his head to look at her only to find her almost immediately on his lips.

The kiss was long and soft, but there was nothing to it. There was no coaxing and no playful nips. There were no soft giggles. There was no magic.

When Anzu pulled back, she studied him. “Anything?”

For a moment, Yugi looked pensive. His eyes became glassy as he smiled apologetically and shook his head.

She smiled back. “Me neither.”

He shrugged, suddenly relieved. “I guess it’s for the best. We both have different goals and all…”

Anzu stared at him for a moment before smiling softly. “How long were you in love with him?”

His head snapped around. “What?”

She chuckled softly. “You don’t have to hide it. I understand. When I saw you two look at each other…” She trailed off.

Yugi laughed softly which ended as quickly as it began. “I can’t tell you for certain. It’s just,” he sighed, “I started out so afraid of him. Then we got to know each other and I guess everything progressed from there. One day I looked over and… and that was it.” He kicked a rock then smiled back up at her. “Love was never really my forte.”

Looking at Yugi then made Anzu want to cry. She was suddenly very angry at Atem’s departure even though she knew it was necessary for him.

But he left behind someone who spent their life up to that point being alone with only his games. Sure, Yugi had his close group now, but they knew there was something missing.

If she ever sees Atem again, she will be walking away from him and leaving nothing more than a giant red handprint across his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was already posted on Tumblr, but now it has a companion so I thought I'd attached the two (Points to Chapter Two)


	2. The Light Calls Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Companion to Chapter One. Also, I allowed my trans headcanon to bleed in a little (it might be a 'blink and you'll miss it' thing, but it's there.)  
> Enjoy!

 

The sea was so calm.

He didn't pay much attention to bodies of water when he was just a spirit in the Puzzle but he remembered the ocean from the beaches in Japan. It was loud and waves crashed onto the sand, making their presence constantly known.

The sea was nothing by comparison. At least, the sea developed in his afterlife. A copy of the one from his time.

All of the land around them as well. Just a copy.

Atem wanted so badly to be happy here. It was the end goal; he could rest eternally without a care. No more evil spirits. No more mystical items used to bring about the world's end.

No more harm to people who didn't deserve his burdens.

No more waking up to find the body he was in was a shared one.

No more watching like a ghost, chained to an artifact and a person who just happened to have the wit to solve it.

No more...

He sat at the water's edge and stared at the eternal sun. His eyes slipped closed.

“Até!”

Suddenly, there was another body hanging off him. Her arms draped around his shoulders and he was reminded of something else he didn't like.

His old Pharaoh form was not nearly as comfortable as Yugi's form. There were a few things he remembered wanting to adjust if he had the ability.

Unfortunately, Ancient Egypt wasn't that advanced.

Mana still hung off him. “You've been coming here pretty often. Something on your mind?”

He shrugged. “It's a constant barrage of somethings.”

“Or maybe it's more of a some _one_?”

His face started to heat up.

“A certain someone who took care of you when you had no idea who or what you were?”

The heat increased.

“What is it that you call him? Abu? Elbow?”

“Aibou.” He said it softly.

“Yes! That!” She let go of him and plopped down in the sand next to him. The smile never left. “I liked him.”

Atem smiled softly. “I did too.”

For a moment, they sat in silence and looked over the water. It was calm and the wind played with their hair. Mana soon spoke again. “He was good for you.”

The smile fell ever so slightly and Atem shifted in his position. “Yes. He was.”

She eyed him very carefully. “You miss him.”

The pharaoh didn't respond.

“... You love him.”

Atem cleared his throat and climbed to his feet. “I believe that's enough gazing for today.” He turned to leave but felt a hard tug on his cape.

Mana had it in her grip. She didn't look at him; only at the sea. “Did it hurt? To choose us over them?”

Atem's gaze softened. “Mana...”

She smiled at him sadly but still didn't let go of the fabric. “It did. I can tell.”

He sat down again, slowly sinking to the ground. “It's complicated.”

“It doesn't have to be.” Her smile became just a little brighter. “Just say that you want to go back. We could find a way to make that happen.”

“I'm not simply talking... This isn't just...” He sighed and dropped his head. “I can't do that, Mana.”

“Sure you can! We just need to work out the magi-”

“No. I mean I can't do that to _him_.”

She slowly closed her mouth and looked at the pharaoh in confusion.

“He has a life outside of me. He has a family and friends and... a future. My life ran its course. I should be able to let him do what he will with his.”

Mana frowned as Atem stood up again. She wanted to cry for him. The hurt he held in his heart was so intense, she could feel it. All she wanted to do was hug him and cry the tears he refused to shed.

But she didn't. She just jumped to her feet and followed after him as he headed back to his palace.

-

He often found himself back at the sea. He would stare out at it for hours until someone came to distract him and pull him back to the palace. While there wasn't anything really to worry about when it came to the afterlife, he was still the pharaoh of this world. He had to continue to play this part.

But more often than not, the throne would be empty. Mana and Mahad always knew where to find him if it was and there would be days where they would walk out to the beach and sit silently next to their king.

Atem appreciated that more than anything.

Some days, he felt better than others. He would delight in remembering small details of his life that never came to mind when he was with Yugi. He would remember the games he would play with the people of his court. He would smile and laugh at the sillier details of their past.

But then something would remind him of the life he spent with the Puzzle. Sometimes the reminder was as simple as a glance down, other times it was harder to pinpoint. Like a certain smell in the air or a particularly challenging game.

But it always brought him back to the beach and that ever lasting light in the sky.

“Is this becoming a cause for concern?” Akhenamkhanen finally worked up the nerve to ask when he watched his son sneak away once again.

Mahad followed Atem with his eyes before he shook his head. “I don't believe so. We all grieve in different ways.” Although, he wasn't sure if he could call this grieving. It seemed just a tad bit closer to pining.

That day Mahad went out to the sea when he was sure Mana was distracted. It was hard to have a serious talk with her attempting to lightheartedly defuse the situation.

Mahad paused as he stood a few meters away from Atem's usual spot. It was a good thing Mana didn't follow; he could only imagine what she would do to try and cheer up their king.

It wasn't often they'd seen Atem in this state. He had his head buried in his arms and knees to try and muffle the soft sobs. But the trembling in his body gave away his sorrow and anyone who would see him would know.

Mahad just silently stepped up behind Atem.

The pharaoh's head snapped upright at the sound of shifting sand behind him. He rubbed at his eyes and sniffled but didn't turn to look.

Mahad calmly walked up and knelt down next to Atem. He waited for the pharaoh to compose himself before he spoke. “I could only imagine the pain you must be feeling, my friend.”

Atem sucked in a shuttering breath. He wrapped his arms around his knees again.

“Do you believe coming out here is truly helping you heal?”

There was a soft, humorless laugh from Atem. “Probably not.”

“But you can't help it, can you?”

The laugh died before it even had a chance to live. Swollen, watery eyes stared out into the sea.

Mahad leaned forward and followed the gaze. “Atem, why do you deny yourself the happiness you truly need?” He didn't wait for an answer before he continued. “It might not be obvious to many, and I fear you might be _completely_ oblivious to it.”

“To what?”

“This spot is where you walked in, Atem. You're constantly beckoned to the door between our realm and the living realm. I highly doubt it's a coincidence.”

Atem blinked and looked back out across the water.

“You've been though several lifetimes of pain and heartache. It's up to you whether you want another attempt at life. Possibly with Yugi.”

Atem clenched his jaw and swallowed thickly at the mention of his partner. He continued to stare off. “But... I could reappear and he could have moved on with his own life. A life he deserves.”

Mahad snorted. “If he had, you wouldn't be summoned to this point as much as you are.” He climbed up to his feet. “You worried so much about what was best for the world and its people. Maybe it's time you ask what would be best for you.” With that statement, Mahad turned and walked back toward the Palace, leaving his king with new thoughts. And, maybe, new hope.

 


	3. The Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is really just a rewrite from the reunion in TDTBU. I thought I'd try and write how Yugi was feeling and thinking during the time "Yuki" was there. And it just seemed like his birthday would be a good time to post it!  
> So, enjoy!

Jounouchi's friend was nothing like he thought.

From the moment Yugi saw them on the landing pad next to Kaiba's helicopter, he was overcome with a feeling of familiarity. Even passed the black clothing and the gold sunglasses, he could tell this was someone he met before. Someone he was close to. Someone who loved him and who he, himself, loved.

He didn't want to be wrong.

When he was pulled away for one of the duels, Yugi took the time to breathe and process what might be going on. He didn't want to give in to instinct telling him all about the man behind those covers. He didn't want to end up being disappointed if he wasn't right. But, this felt like a Jou move.

Get a certain pharaoh and wrap him up like a present for his friend to open later.

Yugi was usually not one for shaking gifts and guessing what was inside. He found he was very good at games like that and, in most cases, if he wasn't completely correct he was at least within the ballpark of it.

But today was either completely right or completely wrong.

He couldn't help himself. There was a puzzle put in front of him. From the moment it arrived, his brain already began putting pieces together. Even if he'd just stood there, he'd been in that presence non-stop for years. And, even if it also had been years since seeing said 'presence,' his senses didn't forget it.

He watched the mystery man duel to earn his place among the ranking duelists. He didn't speak but everything from his stance to his move sets lit up Yugi's thoughts like a lightbulb. One part of him threw in bits of doubt to see how solid his conclusion actually was.

This man could have watched his past duels and was trying to emulate Yugi.

But, no one could move that naturally without years of being taught about public persona. His back was perfectly straight, his legs spread in a stance that immediately allowed everyone to know of his power. All he was missing was a cape and the booming voice that gave out orders like a general to his army.

No one else but a king would be able to move that naturally.

When the duel ended and the opponent struggled with being a sore loser, Yugi found himself running right for them. Mystery man's sunglasses fell as he was thrown over the balcony. At the height they were, he could be killed. As Jounouchi tackled the other duelist to avenge his friend, Yugi ran in and rushed to where the gloved hand was losing grip.

Yugi grabbed his arm just in time. When those eyes looked up at him, he got a flashback. Suddenly, he was in the pharaoh's memories again, helping him regain the strength to continue on and defeat Zorc. His eyes were just like they were back then.

This was a present Yugi desperately wanted to open.

For a moment, Jounouchi took precedence over Yugi's curiosity. His dislocated shoulder was more important than the mystery. But it didn't take long before Yugi was sitting next to his mysterious new opponent. He sat by teasingly close as if he were begging Yugi to see him. Other Him could be pretty impatient. Saying, of course, that's who this was.

It was becoming a joke in his own head that this could be anyone else.

Jounouchi made a reappearance before Yugi could fully figure him out. He listened to their conversation and heard his friend say they're waiting for 'the right moment.'

Well, if that was all, Yugi could make a 'right moment.'

He did his duels for the day and found the room where his friends would be staying. He invited himself in and placed a small plate of food on the bedside table. Near the couch, he could see a bag looking very similar to one his grandfather owned. Grandpa insisted that bag was lucky. He constantly told the story of how he had put the Puzzle in that bag on his way back from Egypt and nearly lost it to the mouth of a lion.

Yugi never fully believed that story, but there was a rip in the leather that almost supported his story. His finger ran across the hole with a soft smile.

Yugi sat on the bed, faced the door, and waited. The wait was worse than any holiday as a kid. It was worse than seeing a large wrapped gift in the shape of what he'd been begging for only to be told he would have to wait until after dinner to open it.

It was worse than thinking of when he would finally be able to get his wish granted from a finished Millennium Puzzle.

It felt like days before his 'gift' walked through that door. All silence and surprise, 'Yuki' pulled it closed behind him.

It took every ounce of will for Yugi to keep his cool. This was no longer his brain trying to shove doubt into this scenario. He gestured to the food and tried his best to keep the smile off his face. “I brought you some food just in case your 'fasting' ends.” The smile broke through as he remembered it. “Yuki.”

He remembered the way the mystery man tapped at his covered lips to Jou. How Jou gave an apologetic smile as if it were something they hadn't thought of. How their plan for 'the right moment' had nearly fallen apart right then and there.

Yugi slid off the bed and watched the other try to move around him. He wouldn't have it. He followed the moves and made it impossible. When he realized this, 'Yuki' backed up instead. Yugi wasn't one to consider another human being prey.

But damn was it nice to see those eyes locked onto him in such a way.

His heart hammered in his chest as he entered 'Yuki's' personal space. Any gangster friend of Jou's could have had Yugi away from him in seconds. He would have remembered the door he was pressed against could swing out and it wouldn't take much for him to get out. But, he could also feel what this closeness was doing to the other. He wasn't afraid of Yugi so much as he was afraid of this situation going south.

“There's something about you I can't quite put my finger on.” He put a hand up to the other's lips. He could feel their softness even through the layer. “I'd like to figure it out if you're willing to indulge me.” It was mostly a lie; he already had this man figured out. He's had years of practice.

But the other was entranced by him. Yugi doubted he even heard him. “Yugi... I...”

The lips moved under their cover. Yugi decided he wanted to see them in person. It was time to unwrap his gift.

He hooked a finger in and easily pulled the mask away. He looked at the face and watched as the loss of the material didn't process. He was too caught in the eyes in front of him; hypnotized even.

It wouldn't take much to bring him back to Earth. “I have a question for you.”

“Anything...” His voice was breathless. It was almost as if the word could barely make it out of his mouth. His mind was still elsewhere.

Yugi reached up and pulled off the hat. He watched in absolute joy as the mess of red, black, and blond was revealed. Happy Birthday to him. “How long were you planning on keeping this a secret?”

'Yuki'- Atem- stared for a moment and Yugi could see the blood rush out of his face as realization finally hit. He babbled an apology Yugi didn't hear because the other was too busy studying the features of a loved one he thought dead. He never expected this to be a wish that would come true.

And yet, here he stood. All flesh and blood. Just as alive as anyone else.

Yugi touched his cheek and felt the warm skin. Nothing like what he was before. A spirit's touch is never warm in the same sense as a human body. It felt like a breeze back then. But now, he was blood, flesh, and bone. And there, Yugi understood why they waited. Why he didn't just reveal himself on that platform.

He tried to swallow the lump in his throat as tears of joy built. “You're so warm...”

Atem stilled at his touch. His eyes welled up with tears as his hand moved up and pulled Yugi's to his lips. Yugi felt the soft kiss on his palm and watched the tears roll down like raindrops on Atem's cheeks. “I've missed you.” His tone was like that of a man lost at sea who finally found land. Almost broken by the adventure and overjoyed to be where he could be safe.

Yugi wrapped his arms securely around the pharaoh and felt the other return the gesture instantly. He heard the mumble into his neck. “I've missed you so much.”

Their bodies slid down the door, no longer caring to use their energy for anything more than holding each other. Yugi never wanted to let go again.

He knew Atem would absolutely agree.

 


End file.
